April 22 is Earth Day. A day for celebrating our successes so far in working to protect our planet, and raising awareness of the need to conserve the earth’s natural resources for future generations.

As Earth Day approaches, it serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility to protect and preserve our planet. For those who find happiness in the ocean, just like we do at Paddle Logger, Earth Day holds particular significance. We are uniquely positioned to make a positive impact on the health of our oceans and coastlines. From reducing plastic pollution to advocating for marine conservation, there are numerous ways in which ocean lovers can contribute to the sustainability of our blue planet.

As paddlers, we share a close connection with the natural world. Moving through the water is what we love to do, but we also have a responsibility to protect the fragile ecosystems that bring us so much joy. Here are a few ways you can harness your passion for the water to support conservation strategies.

Ever wonder about the backstory behind kayaking? Spoiler alert: it's way more than just a fun day out on the water.

Paddle sports such as stand up paddle boarding (SUP), canoeing and kayaking offer so much more than just an adventure on the water. Taking part can improve our mental and physical health too.

The UK boasts an approximate 7,600km of navigable canals and rivers and as much as 240,000km of rivers and streams throughout. 161 of the UK’s rivers and streams are classified as chalk streams - a unique and extremely nutrient rich source of clean drinking water that are born in underground chalk aquifers and springs, and provide an ideal breeding ground for abundant wildlife, making up an 85% of all chalk streams worldwide.

For me, the most exciting part of every paddle is the wildlife I encounter along the way. Over the years I’ve had some amazing wildlife encounters whilst out paddling, from stingrays in New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds, to grey seals, barrel jellyfish, and giant blue fin tuna right here in the UK.

I am so fortunate that I get to spend as much time on the water as I do now. Especially while I have Paddle Logger along for the ride with me, it’s even harder now to take me off the water than ever before. Believe it or not, my life around water wasn’t always this way. During my childhood I was always outside, but didn’t spend a lot of time near the water, unless it was my backyard pool. When I tell people this, most of them are shocked. They say to me “How is that possible!? You basically spend every waking minute on the water!”

18th January, aka 'Blue Monday' is the day that we register and acknowledge as the most depressing day of the year. I have heard it said that this is because it's the week before payday, and after usually being paid early in December it’s a long wait to that post Christmas payday, or that the weather is more depressing as you're not quite in the embrace of autumn or spring. I have even heard that you could be depressed because of the extra weight you put on over the festive period and although you're sticking to your New Year's resolution 'diet' you're still not seeing the scales tip in your favour as much as you would like. Actually, the real story behind 'Blue Monday’ was commercial. Yep... a travel programme came up with their calculation of when the most miserable day of the year was back in 2005 and bingo, airline tickets picked up!